


A wild river got me away from home

by summertears



Series: I Owe You My Heart [3]
Category: Gintama
Genre: Canon Universe, Family, Gintoki Is Trying His Best, Ginzura - Freeform, Loneliness, M/M, Metaphors, Sakata Family, Snow, Winter, but the river is too large to jump over, here I go with seasons again, let's wait for the summer tears, yes they shared a futon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:07:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28741476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summertears/pseuds/summertears
Summary: Katsura stays a night at Gintoki's, but as the snow falls, so does he, in a deep silence that still hurts him.
Relationships: Katsura Kotarou/Sakata Gintoki
Series: I Owe You My Heart [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2098431
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	A wild river got me away from home

**IT WAS LATE NIGHT** when Gintoki felt his body tremble. A cold breeze sang outside, the delicate chills of winter curling around his limbs, making him shiver. He moved his body under the blankets of his futon, and as his head turned to the other way, he met a pair of asleep eyes laying peacefully at his side.

Gintoki sighed.

“Gin-san, we’ll be at mine until tomorrow, okay?” Said Shinpachi when Gintoki rolled his eyes, a large cup of strawberry milk, surprisingly not in a carton, in his hands.

“Why is that? I thought you were staying for the first snowy night of the year.”

“We were” Kagura answered, looking at Shinpachi through her large scarf. “But we also thought that maybe it's good if you... spend a bit of time by yourself.”

“Are you just giving an excuse to avoid me? I’ll disinherit you two” Gintoki said, seriously, but Kagura and Shipachi smiled at him. “Take care.”

“You too.” They said, leaving. Gintoki stayed still for a bit, thinking of how they grew up fast. There were still things that even adults wouldn’t know how to resolve, yet, there his children were.

The next thing he remembered is a slight knock at his door. He was about to sleep, his head hazy and eyes tired, but still, he answered.

“The door is open.”

Cat-like steps entered, echoing in the dark as a solitary bird’s singing. Gintoki knew who it was. Nevertheless, he stood up just to state that it was too late to think about lonesome things and misty thoughts.

“How is your leg?” Katsura asked, his long hair escaping from the bonnet he was wearing. Gintoki could tell that there was a light red painting their faces. It was the coldness.

“Fine.”

“Fine is not good.”

“How are you?” Gintoki asked. Katsura didn’t move or answer so he tried to approach. “Zura.”

“Kind of lonely. I miss the old times,” there was a pause, a sigh, and a sniff. Gintoki squinted, but he couldn’t see Katsura’s eyes. “And I’m not Zura.”

“Sit down.” _Let’s talk_ , Gintoki wanted to say.

It was like a wild river when they talked about loneliness and old memories. A curvy way, full of rocks, enough mud on them to make your feet slip and force you to hold onto someone next to you.

But, sometimes, you fall. The water is cold, the hit on your head hurts badly, and you’re all alone.

The night finished its fall and Gintoki insisted for Katsura to stay. He didn’t want to, even though deep down he knew he needed it. After all, the four of them weren’t close enough anymore to be the foothold to one another.

“Are you sleeping?” Katsura asked. Between him and Gintoki, a vale that seemed like a river. And if they were silent enough, they’d be able to hear the water.

“I was.”

“Thank you, Gintoki.” Katsura had a lugubrious voice and Gintoki didn’t notice immediately.

“For what?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you do,” he said and Gintoki closed his eyes, feeling Katsura settle under the sheets. “It’s too cold for me to think about a reason to be grateful.”

Gintoki turned around. Yes, that was it.

But he only found Katsura’s closed eyes, shut in a silence he maybe would never guess. A snow-like quietness.


End file.
